Chen was born in 1968 in New York City, the son of immigrants from Taiwan. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1990, from the University of California, Los Angeles and his Juris Doctor in 1994 from the New York University School of Law. He joined the intellectual property law firm of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear in Irvine, California. He prosecuted patents and represented clients in intellectual property litigation at that firm. From 1996 to 1998, he served as a technical assistant at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, performing the functions of a staff attorney. From 1998 to 2013, he served in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as an assistant solicitor and was promoted to Solicitor in 2008. He represented the USPTO before the Federal Circuit, personally arguing twenty cases, including In re Bilski, In re Nuijten, and In re Comiskey.[1] In that role, he issued guidance to patent examiners, advised the agency on legal and policy issues and helped promulgate regulations. He has co-chaired the Patent and Trademark Office Committee of the Federal Circuit Bar Association and is a member of the Advisory Council for the Federal Circuit.[2][3]

On February 7, 2013, President Obama nominated Chen to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, to the seat vacated by Judge Richard Linn who took senior status on October 31, 2012. His nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 16, 2013, by voice vote.[4][5] The Senate confirmed Chen's nomination on August 1, 2013, by a vote of 97 ayes to 0 nays.[6] He received his commission on August 2, 2013.